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USS Seadragon (SS-194)
Encyclopedia
USS Seadragon (SS-194), a Sargo
-class submarine
, was the first ship of the United States Navy
to be named for the seadragon.
Her keel was laid on 18 April 1938 by the Electric Boat
Company of Groton, Connecticut
. She was christened and launched
on 21 April 1939, sponsored by Mrs. J.O. Richardson (wife of the former Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet), and commissioned
on 23 October 1939 with Lieutenant John G. Johns in command.
, Seadragon returned to New England
and, on 23 May 1940, departed New London, Connecticut
, for the Philippine Islands. With Commander, Submarine Division 17 (ComSubDiv 17) embarked, she arrived at Cavite
on 30 November and commenced training operations as a unit of the Asiatic Fleet. A year later, she prepared for overhaul; and, by 8 December 1941 (7 December east of the International Date Line
), she had started her yard period at the Cavite Navy Yard.
Two days later, on 10 December, she and sister ship , moored together, were caught in an enemy air raid against Cavite. Sealion took a direct hit which demolished her and damaged Seadragon. The force of the explosion ripped off part of the latter's bridge. Fragments and splinters punctured her ballast tank
s and conning tower
, killing one and wounding five. The heat of the explosion scorched her hull and blistered her black paint.
Fires and explosions raged along the wharf. A nearby torpedo shop went up and flames reached toward a lighter, loaded with torpedoes, lying alongside Seadragon. Submarine Rescue Vessel , however, disregarded the danger and moved in to tow Seadragon into the channel; she continued into Manila Bay under her own power.
Temporary repairs were accomplished by tender
and Pigeon; and, on the night of 15 December, Seadragon embarked members of the Asiatic Fleet staff. At 00:00, 16 December, she headed out of Manila Bay.
Escorted by destroyer , Seadragon moved south, via Surigao
and Makassar Strait
s to Soerabaja, where she disembarked her passengers; received further repairs, exclusive of a paint job; and prepared for her first war patrol.
naval base and set a course for the South China Sea
to intercept Japanese shipping off the coast of Indochina
. On 8 January, she was in the sea lanes to Cam Ranh Bay
. Two days later, she sighted a destroyer
, launched two torpedoes which missed, then watched as the destroyer continued on its course without attempting to attack the submarine. Seadragon remained in the area. Shortly after noon, a convoy
was heard. One-half hour later, it was sighted, and the submarine began closing the last ship in the column. Shortly after 13:00, she fired; missed; and again tried to close to firing position. Within an hour, however, the convoy was safely into Cam Ranh Bay. Seadragon retired eastward. After dark while on the surface, recharging, she sighted a destroyer and attempted to slip away undetected. The destroyer spotlighted her. Seadragon went deep and worked her way eastward through two depth charge
attacks.
She spent the morning of 12 January evading Japanese patrol planes. In the afternoon, she closed a six-ship convoy; but, as she came to periscope
depth for a final check, she was spotted from the air. Three salvos of bombs dropped close aboard, but Seadragon went deep and again made her way eastward—this time to investigate the cause of the plane sightings. She surfaced after 18:00. No oil or air leaks were spotted, but her black paint was coming off the entire hull. Red lead undercoating showed from the waterline to the side plating, and, "in spots", on the bow planes and propeller guards. In shallow tropical waters, her original black paint was easily spotted against a light colored background. With red showing, she stood out regardless of the color of the seabed. From then on, Seadragon ran at 140 feet (42.7 m) between periscope exposures except in areas known to be patrolled by air, when she went to 200 feet (61 m).
On 14 January, she patrolled in the Cape Varella area. On 15 January, she shifted southward, and, on 16 January, she stood off Hon Lon to wait for a convoy. At 11:15, after a periscope observation, she was again spotted and bombed from the air. She returned to Cape Varella where the depth of the water permitted a closer patrol to the shore line.
During the next six days, she sighted several targets but had no luck with her torpedoes. Early on 23 January, she sighted a four-ship convoy which she stalked until daylight, then attacked. At 08:06, she fired at the lead ship and scored with a hit on the port quarter. She then fired two at the ship and missed. The third and fourth ships ran off to the southeast and west respectively. The second ship moved in toward the first; then, listing to port and down by the stern accompanied it as it ran for the beach. Seadragon surfaced and went after the third ship, but the appearance of an enemy plane forced her to break off the attack.
The submarine remained off the Indochina coast for another four days, then set a course back to Luzon
. On 29 January, she began patrolling along the coast from Subic Bay
to Lingayen Gulf
. On 1 February, she took up station off San Fernando
and, early on the morning of 2 February, conducted a night submerged attack on a five-ship convoy. Tamagawa Maru (a 6,441-ton transport), the fourth ship in line, went down, depriving the Japanese occupation force of a number of the reinforcement troops and the equipment she carried.
After the sinking, Seadragon patrolled southward. On 4 February, she arrived off Luzon Point; and, that night, she moved into Manila Bay
. Mooring at 22:03, she completed loading torpedoes, radio equipment, and submarine spare parts at 03:00 on 5 February. Shortly thereafter, she moved out; rested on the bottom until after dark, then surfaced to take on twenty-five passengers at Corregidor
. Among them were seventeen members of the crew at CAST (cryptanalysts and traffic analyst
s), including the commanding officer, Lieutenant Rudolph Fabian. At 19:46, Seadragon got underway for the Netherlands East Indies.
. She reached Fremantle
on 4 March and two weeks later, again headed for the Indochina coast for her second war patrol. At the end of the month, she was diverted to Cebu
to take on fuel and food for Corregidor. She unloaded ten torpedoes and 250 rounds of 3 inches (7.6 cm) ammunition, and took on thirty tons of food. At 20:53 on 8 April, she moored alongside Pigeon, to which she transferred fuel; offloaded seven tons of food (of the thirty she had taken aboard just for the besieged defenders); took on 23 passengers (including the last seventeen members of the crew at CAST, among them "Honest John" Leitweiler and Rufus Taylor, who as a Japanese language specialist was worth his weight in gold); and, at 21:29, got underway to resume her patrol.
She remained in the waters off southwestern Luzon and recommenced her patrol off the entrance to Subic Bay
. On 11 April, she sighted several targets but was able to attack only one, a patrolling destroyer. At 17:20, she launched three torpedoes. Twenty-nine seconds later the first torpedo exploded halfway to the target. The second broached and circled abeam of the target. The destroyer avoided the third. Seadragon changed course and went to 200 feet (61 m) to avoid the circular and the expected depth charging. None of the depth charges was close, but a second destroyer soon joined the first, spotted the submarine as she came up for a periscope observation, and turned on her. Seadragon again went deep, then cleared the area.
On 12 April, the submarine started south. On 20 April, she cleared Lombok Strait
; and, on 26 April, she returned to Fremantle.
-Hong Kong
routes to the end of the month; then shifted to the Cape Varella area. On the morning of 4 July, she launched a torpedo at the leader of a three ship formation. The torpedo missed ahead, all three ships changed course toward Seadragon with the leader proceeding down the torpedo track firing her bow gun. Depth charges were dropped indiscriminately. Ten minutes later, the three had turned toward shore. Seadragon then shifted southward to intercept enemy traffic off Hon Lon Light.
A few hours later, she sighted two freighters and fired tubes 1 and 2 at the lead ship. Her No. 1 tube did not fire, and her No. 2 torpedo missed astern. Two more torpedoes were fired at the ships, but both missed. Enemy planes arrived on the scene soon afterward and for over two hours aerial depth charges in salvos of two and three were dropped. Despite water depth of 75 fathoms (137.2 m), submarines were visible at any depth against the light colored bottom.
Seadragon survived the close bombing and continued her patrol. During the next week, she attempted to close several ships, but was unable to attain attack positions. On the night of 11 July, her losing streak ended. Just prior to midnight, she sighted smoke and opened out to the westward to overtake the target. At 01:56 on 12 July, she began her approach; and, 14 minutes later, she launched three torpedoes. Two hit, but the third missed astern. A merchantman, Hiyama Maru, began settling. By 02:19, she had been abandoned. Seadragon submerged and resumed her patrol eight miles (14.8 km) northeast of Cape Varella.
On the morning of 13 July, Seadragon torpedoed and sank her second victim of the patrol. Shinyo Maru was hit approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) abaft the beam and settled immediately. Seadragon moved out of the area and hunted along the Haina Varella routes for a few days. On 16 July, she was back off Cape Varella; and, soon after 10:30, she fired on a four-ship convoy. Five minutes later, the torpedoes exploded on the beach. The four ships turned toward Seadragon and commenced firing their guns. Seadragon fired two more torpedoes and went deep. A few minutes later, she came to periscope depth. Only three ships remained on the surface. Hakodate Maru had been sunk.
On 20 July, Seadragon departed the South China Sea and made her way south to Australia. On 4 August, she damaged the 6,816 ton at 07°33′N 161°12′E.
-winning account by Chicago Daily News
reporter George Weller
. In 2005, retired Lt. Cmdr. Lipes was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for saving a fellow crewman's life.
On 12 September, Seadragon arrived on station and commenced patrolling the steamer lanes west of Macclesfield Bank
. At dusk on 16 September, she headed for Cape Varella.
Not until 22 September, however, while off Cam Ranh Bay was she able to gain a firing position on a suitable target. On that morning, she launched four torpedoes at a cruiser
escorted by two destroyers. No explosions were heard, but her torpedoes were seen, and the enemy ships turned on Seadragon and delivered a "well executed depth charge attack."
A week later, on the night of 29 September, the submarine tracked a five-ship convoy; and, at 0122 on 30 September conducted a surface torpedo attack which damaged one ship. She then ran eastward to attain a position ahead of the convoy but was spotlighted by an escort which had shifted stations. Seadragon went deep; the escort dropped six depth charges and then rejoined the convoy. The submarine surfaced and attempted to make up for lost time. Three hours later, she had overheated her main motor cables and was forced to give up the chase.
On the evening of 3 October, Seadragon departed the South China Sea and, five days later, commenced patrolling the approaches to Balikpapan
. On 10 October, she attained a position for a stern tube shot on Shigure Maru. The cargoman disappeared 47 seconds after the first explosion. On 11 October, the submarine patrolled off Cape William and Cape Mandar. On 12 October, she was off Makassar City. On 14 October, she transited Lombok Strait; and, on 20 October, she returned to Fremantle.
. On 23 November, she departed the latter and headed for the Bismarck Archipelago
for her fifth war patrol. On 29 November, she entered her area and commenced patrolling the Rabaul
-Shortland
routes. On 1 December, she closed the New Britain
coast to intercept traffic to the Japanese beachhead at Buna
, and, during the next ten days, conducted several unsuccessful approaches on enemy formations. On the morning of 11 December, she sighted a freighter with one escort rounding Cape St. George
and launched two torpedoes at the merchantman. One hit under the main mast, damaging but not sinking the target. The escort delivered a depth charge attack then took the damaged vessel under tow for Rabaul. Enemy planes prohibited Seadragon from delivering the coup de grace.
On 21 December, Seadragon sighted an enemy submarine near Cape St. George, made her approach, and launched three torpedoes at the target. The first missed ahead. The second exploded about 18 seconds after firing. The third torpedo hit the target. sank with her bow vertical and with all hands lost. The second torpedo explosion, however, had damaged Seadragon. The force of the explosion had knocked down the personnel in the forward torpedo room, and the torpedo in No. 1 tube, the outer door of which was open, was forced against the tail buffer. The countermining effect forced the torpedo forward shearing off the guide stud and tripping the starting lever. The outer door could not be closed. Depth control was lost. The torpedo was fired. Control was regained as the torpedo exploded on Seadragons port quarter.
On 25 December, Seadragon damaged another cargoman, and, on 26 December, departed the area for Pearl Harbor
where she arrived on 7 January 1943.
From Pearl Harbor, Seadragon continued on to the West Coast, where skipper "Pete" Ferrall was detached to the Bureau of Ships
. Between 16 January and 8 April, she underwent overhaul at Mare Island
, receiving new batteries and radar
and changing the position of her three-inch mount from aft to a forward position. In mid-April, she sailed west again; and, on 9 May, she departed Pearl Harbor for her sixth war patrol.
and moved toward Micronesia
. On 19 May, she commenced patrolling in the Caroline Islands
. On 20 May, she surprised and was in turn surprised by sighting a surfaced submarine on a parallel course. The other submarine submerged immediately. On 22 May, she took up station off the Truk Islands and for the next 11 days patrolled the sea lanes to the major enemy anchorage enclosed by Dublon, Fefan
, and Uman
islands. On 4 June, she departed Truk and moved eastward to reconnoiter Ponape
, thence proceeded into the Marshall Islands
to patrol the sealanes converging on Kwajalein
. There, the enemy's omnipresent surface and aerial escorts inhibited hunting, but, on 13 June, Seadragon was able to damage a freighter. Four days later, she cleared the area, and, on 21 June, she arrived at Midway Island, whence she returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs to her steering gear.
and in the Marshall Islands where increased enemy air activity again hindered hunting and limited Seadragons score to five freighters damaged. In mid-August, she reconnoitered Wotje; and, at the end of the month, she returned to Pearl Harbor.
On her eighth war patrol, 24 September to 5 November, Seadragon again returned to the Marshall Islands and spent 31 days hunting in the sea lanes to Kwajalein. Again Japanese antisubmarine measures hindered hunting; and, of the five ship contacts made, only two could be developed and only one attack was made. On 13 October, she damaged an enemy transport.
Seadragons ninth war patrol, 14 December 1943 to 5 February 1944, took her back to the Caroline Islands where she hunted enemy shipping on the Truk-Saipan
route and damaged two, possibly three, cargomen.
entrances to the Inland Sea. On the morning of 23 April, she sighted four freighters, escorted by three patrol boats, moving toward Shiono Misaki. She closed the convoy; fired on the third ship, the heaviest laden; then went deep and rigged for depth charging. The patrol boats moved toward Seadragon as Daiju Maru sank and, during the next two hours, delivered a 40 depth charge attack. Later that day, the submarine conducted an unsuccessful attack on a naval auxiliary; and, on 26 April, she moved out into the Tokyo
-Manila
shipping lanes where she damaged a freighter on 27 April.
On 28 April, she commenced patrolling the Nagoya-Saipan route. In May, she took station off the entrance to Sugura Wan and, on 3 May, shifted to the Tokyo-Guam-Saipan-Truk sea lanes. Two days later, she hunted enemy traffic at the entrance to Sagami Wan. On 13 May, she headed for Midway Island. On 17 May, she caught an armed trawler
in a surface attack; set it afire with four-inch gun salvos, then closed the target to take off the uniformed enemy crew. The surviving crew members refused to surrender, and Seadragon continued eastward. On 21 May, she crossed the 180th meridian and stopped at Midway, then got underway for Pearl Harbor, arriving on 25 May.
, established contact with Shark and Blackfish, and took position in a scouting line in the pack's assigned area.
On the night of 21 October and the morning of 22 October, the group went after an enemy warship formation led by an aircraft carrier
. At 06:15 on 24 October, Shark reported a contact, and Seadragon headed for the scene. At 07:30, the contact was sighted through the high periscope, but it proved too distant. At 09:20, Seadragon sighted three enemy merchantmen in a loose column with a torpedo boat destroyer and an airplane as escorts. At 10:55, she launched four torpedoes at the lead freighter.
The first torpedo broached and ran erratic, alerting the escort which started for Seadragon. Seadragon rigged for depth charging. Soon thereafter, two torpedo explosions were heard, and, at 11:01, the first of eight depth charges was dropped. At 11:54, Seadragon went to periscope depth. The escort was milling around picking up survivors four miles (6 km) astern. The remaining merchant ships were ahead of the submarine and making only two or three knots. As Seadragon prepared to fire again, the destroyer rejoined the formation. At 11:14, Seadragon fired four more torpedoes. Three hits were observed. The submarine's second target of the day sank in less than two minutes.
Seadragon went deep. Fifteen depth charges followed. At 13:10, the submarine returned to periscope depth. The deck of the sole remaining freighter was crowded. The freighter was smoking heavily and moving slowly. The escort circled the freighter. At 14:04, Seadragon fired. The first torpedo tore off the freighter's bow. The rest of the ship went under quickly. At 14:05, the first of 25 depth charges was dropped.
Postwar examination of Japanese records identified the sunken ships as the cargo ship, Eiko Maru, and the passenger-cargomen Taiten Maru and Kokuryu Maru.
At 18:58, Seadragon tried unsuccessfully to raise Shark. She had been sunk after attacking the contact of her 06:15 transmission.
On 26 October, Seadragon headed toward Luzon. On 27 October and 28 October, she searched for downed aviators; and, on 29 October, she was ordered to return to Midway.
The next day, Seadragon continued on to Pearl Harbor, and, after refit, returned to California
to provide training services to naval air units. In May, she was transferred back to the Atlantic Fleet and for the final months of the war, provided training services at Guantanamo Bay
and Key West
, Florida
. In September, she moved north to New London, Connecticut
, thence to Boston, Massachusetts
, where she was decommissioned on 15 November 1945. Less than four months later, on 8 February 1946, she was recommissioned to assist in the inactivation and preservation of submarines, including U-boat
s, at Hingham, Massachusetts
. On 29 October 1946, she was again decommissioned and berthed as a unit of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet where she remained until stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
on 30 April 1948.
Sargo class submarine
The Sargo-class submarines were the first US submarines to be sent into action after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, starting war patrols the day after the attack...
-class submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
, was the first ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for the seadragon.
Her keel was laid on 18 April 1938 by the Electric Boat
Electric boat
While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion...
Company of Groton, Connecticut
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
. She was christened and launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 21 April 1939, sponsored by Mrs. J.O. Richardson (wife of the former Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet), and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 23 October 1939 with Lieutenant John G. Johns in command.
Operational history
Following a shakedown cruise off the east coast and in the Caribbean SeaCaribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, Seadragon returned to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and, on 23 May 1940, departed New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, for the Philippine Islands. With Commander, Submarine Division 17 (ComSubDiv 17) embarked, she arrived at Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
on 30 November and commenced training operations as a unit of the Asiatic Fleet. A year later, she prepared for overhaul; and, by 8 December 1941 (7 December east of the International Date Line
International Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
), she had started her yard period at the Cavite Navy Yard.
Two days later, on 10 December, she and sister ship , moored together, were caught in an enemy air raid against Cavite. Sealion took a direct hit which demolished her and damaged Seadragon. The force of the explosion ripped off part of the latter's bridge. Fragments and splinters punctured her ballast tank
Ballast tank
A ballast tank is a compartment within a boat, ship or other floating structure that holds water.-History:The basic concept behind the ballast tank can be seen in many forms of aquatic life, such as the blowfish or argonaut octopus, and the concept has been invented and reinvented many times by...
s and conning tower
Conning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
, killing one and wounding five. The heat of the explosion scorched her hull and blistered her black paint.
Fires and explosions raged along the wharf. A nearby torpedo shop went up and flames reached toward a lighter, loaded with torpedoes, lying alongside Seadragon. Submarine Rescue Vessel , however, disregarded the danger and moved in to tow Seadragon into the channel; she continued into Manila Bay under her own power.
Temporary repairs were accomplished by tender
Submarine tender
A submarine tender is a type of ship that supplies and supports submarines.Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and other supplies, nor to carry a full array of maintenance equipment and...
and Pigeon; and, on the night of 15 December, Seadragon embarked members of the Asiatic Fleet staff. At 00:00, 16 December, she headed out of Manila Bay.
Escorted by destroyer , Seadragon moved south, via Surigao
Surigao Strait
Surigao Strait is a body of water in the Philippines located between the islands of Mindanao and Leyte. This strait connects the Bohol Sea with Leyte Gulf and is regularly crossed by ferries that transport goods and people between Visayas and Mindanao...
and Makassar Strait
Makassar Strait
Makassar Strait is a strait between the islands of Borneo and Sulawesi in Indonesia. To the north it joins the Celebes Sea, while to the south it meets the Java Sea.The Mahakam River of Borneo empties into the strait....
s to Soerabaja, where she disembarked her passengers; received further repairs, exclusive of a paint job; and prepared for her first war patrol.
First patrol, December 1941 – February 1942
On 30 December, the submarine departed the DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
naval base and set a course for the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
to intercept Japanese shipping off the coast of Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
. On 8 January, she was in the sea lanes to Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in the province of Khánh Hòa. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilometers / 180 miles northeast of Hồ Chí Minh City / Saigon.Cam Ranh is...
. Two days later, she sighted a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, launched two torpedoes which missed, then watched as the destroyer continued on its course without attempting to attack the submarine. Seadragon remained in the area. Shortly after noon, a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
was heard. One-half hour later, it was sighted, and the submarine began closing the last ship in the column. Shortly after 13:00, she fired; missed; and again tried to close to firing position. Within an hour, however, the convoy was safely into Cam Ranh Bay. Seadragon retired eastward. After dark while on the surface, recharging, she sighted a destroyer and attempted to slip away undetected. The destroyer spotlighted her. Seadragon went deep and worked her way eastward through two depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
attacks.
She spent the morning of 12 January evading Japanese patrol planes. In the afternoon, she closed a six-ship convoy; but, as she came to periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
depth for a final check, she was spotted from the air. Three salvos of bombs dropped close aboard, but Seadragon went deep and again made her way eastward—this time to investigate the cause of the plane sightings. She surfaced after 18:00. No oil or air leaks were spotted, but her black paint was coming off the entire hull. Red lead undercoating showed from the waterline to the side plating, and, "in spots", on the bow planes and propeller guards. In shallow tropical waters, her original black paint was easily spotted against a light colored background. With red showing, she stood out regardless of the color of the seabed. From then on, Seadragon ran at 140 feet (42.7 m) between periscope exposures except in areas known to be patrolled by air, when she went to 200 feet (61 m).
On 14 January, she patrolled in the Cape Varella area. On 15 January, she shifted southward, and, on 16 January, she stood off Hon Lon to wait for a convoy. At 11:15, after a periscope observation, she was again spotted and bombed from the air. She returned to Cape Varella where the depth of the water permitted a closer patrol to the shore line.
During the next six days, she sighted several targets but had no luck with her torpedoes. Early on 23 January, she sighted a four-ship convoy which she stalked until daylight, then attacked. At 08:06, she fired at the lead ship and scored with a hit on the port quarter. She then fired two at the ship and missed. The third and fourth ships ran off to the southeast and west respectively. The second ship moved in toward the first; then, listing to port and down by the stern accompanied it as it ran for the beach. Seadragon surfaced and went after the third ship, but the appearance of an enemy plane forced her to break off the attack.
The submarine remained off the Indochina coast for another four days, then set a course back to Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. On 29 January, she began patrolling along the coast from Subic Bay
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. It was the largest U.S...
to Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
. On 1 February, she took up station off San Fernando
San Fernando City, La Union
The City of San Fernando in La Union is a 1st class component city in the Philippines. It is the capital city of La Union and the regional center of the Ilocos Region...
and, early on the morning of 2 February, conducted a night submerged attack on a five-ship convoy. Tamagawa Maru (a 6,441-ton transport), the fourth ship in line, went down, depriving the Japanese occupation force of a number of the reinforcement troops and the equipment she carried.
After the sinking, Seadragon patrolled southward. On 4 February, she arrived off Luzon Point; and, that night, she moved into Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
. Mooring at 22:03, she completed loading torpedoes, radio equipment, and submarine spare parts at 03:00 on 5 February. Shortly thereafter, she moved out; rested on the bottom until after dark, then surfaced to take on twenty-five passengers at Corregidor
Corregidor
Corregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...
. Among them were seventeen members of the crew at CAST (cryptanalysts and traffic analyst
Traffic analysis
Traffic analysis is the process of intercepting and examining messages in order to deduce information from patterns in communication. It can be performed even when the messages are encrypted and cannot be decrypted. In general, the greater the number of messages observed, or even intercepted and...
s), including the commanding officer, Lieutenant Rudolph Fabian. At 19:46, Seadragon got underway for the Netherlands East Indies.
Second patrol, March – April 1942
She arrived at Soerabaja on 13 February. On 21 February, she left for Tjilatjap, whence she was ordered on to AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. She reached Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
on 4 March and two weeks later, again headed for the Indochina coast for her second war patrol. At the end of the month, she was diverted to Cebu
Cebu Island
Cebu is an island of the Philippines. It is the main island of Cebu Province at the center of the Visayan Islands, south of Manila.It lies to the east of Negros Island; to the east is Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol Island. It is flanked on both sides by the Cebu Strait and Tañon Strait...
to take on fuel and food for Corregidor. She unloaded ten torpedoes and 250 rounds of 3 inches (7.6 cm) ammunition, and took on thirty tons of food. At 20:53 on 8 April, she moored alongside Pigeon, to which she transferred fuel; offloaded seven tons of food (of the thirty she had taken aboard just for the besieged defenders); took on 23 passengers (including the last seventeen members of the crew at CAST, among them "Honest John" Leitweiler and Rufus Taylor, who as a Japanese language specialist was worth his weight in gold); and, at 21:29, got underway to resume her patrol.
She remained in the waters off southwestern Luzon and recommenced her patrol off the entrance to Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
. On 11 April, she sighted several targets but was able to attack only one, a patrolling destroyer. At 17:20, she launched three torpedoes. Twenty-nine seconds later the first torpedo exploded halfway to the target. The second broached and circled abeam of the target. The destroyer avoided the third. Seadragon changed course and went to 200 feet (61 m) to avoid the circular and the expected depth charging. None of the depth charges was close, but a second destroyer soon joined the first, spotted the submarine as she came up for a periscope observation, and turned on her. Seadragon again went deep, then cleared the area.
On 12 April, the submarine started south. On 20 April, she cleared Lombok Strait
Lombok Strait
The Lombok Strait is a strait connecting the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean, located between the islands of Bali and Lombok in Indonesia. The Gili Islands are on the Lombok side....
; and, on 26 April, she returned to Fremantle.
Third patrol, June – August 1942
On her third patrol, 11 June to 2 August 1942, Seadragon returned to the South China Sea. Arriving in her assigned area on 27 June, she patrolled along the SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
-Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
routes to the end of the month; then shifted to the Cape Varella area. On the morning of 4 July, she launched a torpedo at the leader of a three ship formation. The torpedo missed ahead, all three ships changed course toward Seadragon with the leader proceeding down the torpedo track firing her bow gun. Depth charges were dropped indiscriminately. Ten minutes later, the three had turned toward shore. Seadragon then shifted southward to intercept enemy traffic off Hon Lon Light.
A few hours later, she sighted two freighters and fired tubes 1 and 2 at the lead ship. Her No. 1 tube did not fire, and her No. 2 torpedo missed astern. Two more torpedoes were fired at the ships, but both missed. Enemy planes arrived on the scene soon afterward and for over two hours aerial depth charges in salvos of two and three were dropped. Despite water depth of 75 fathoms (137.2 m), submarines were visible at any depth against the light colored bottom.
Seadragon survived the close bombing and continued her patrol. During the next week, she attempted to close several ships, but was unable to attain attack positions. On the night of 11 July, her losing streak ended. Just prior to midnight, she sighted smoke and opened out to the westward to overtake the target. At 01:56 on 12 July, she began her approach; and, 14 minutes later, she launched three torpedoes. Two hit, but the third missed astern. A merchantman, Hiyama Maru, began settling. By 02:19, she had been abandoned. Seadragon submerged and resumed her patrol eight miles (14.8 km) northeast of Cape Varella.
On the morning of 13 July, Seadragon torpedoed and sank her second victim of the patrol. Shinyo Maru was hit approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) abaft the beam and settled immediately. Seadragon moved out of the area and hunted along the Haina Varella routes for a few days. On 16 July, she was back off Cape Varella; and, soon after 10:30, she fired on a four-ship convoy. Five minutes later, the torpedoes exploded on the beach. The four ships turned toward Seadragon and commenced firing their guns. Seadragon fired two more torpedoes and went deep. A few minutes later, she came to periscope depth. Only three ships remained on the surface. Hakodate Maru had been sunk.
On 20 July, Seadragon departed the South China Sea and made her way south to Australia. On 4 August, she damaged the 6,816 ton at 07°33′N 161°12′E.
Fourth patrol, August – October 1942
On 26 August, she departed her Australian base for her fourth war patrol and again set a course for the coast of Indochina. On 10 September, she moved through Apo East Pass. On 11 September, her progress into the South China Sea was delayed by an emergency appendectomy performed successfully on Seaman Darrell Rector by Pharmacist's Mate Wheeler B. Lipes, the first such performed on a submarine. This incident was the subject of a Pulitzer PrizePulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning account by Chicago Daily News
Chicago Daily News
The Chicago Daily News was an afternoon daily newspaper published between 1876 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The Daily News was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty in 1875 and began publishing early the next year...
reporter George Weller
George Weller
George Anthony Weller was an American novelist, playwright, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The New York Times and Chicago Daily News...
. In 2005, retired Lt. Cmdr. Lipes was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for saving a fellow crewman's life.
On 12 September, Seadragon arrived on station and commenced patrolling the steamer lanes west of Macclesfield Bank
Macclesfield Bank
Macclesfield Bank or Zhongsha Islands is an elongated sunken atoll of underwater reefs and shoals in the South China Sea and part of the disputed South China Sea Islands, centred around , east of the Paracel Islands. Its length exceeds southwest-northeast, with a maximal width of more than...
. At dusk on 16 September, she headed for Cape Varella.
Not until 22 September, however, while off Cam Ranh Bay was she able to gain a firing position on a suitable target. On that morning, she launched four torpedoes at a cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
escorted by two destroyers. No explosions were heard, but her torpedoes were seen, and the enemy ships turned on Seadragon and delivered a "well executed depth charge attack."
A week later, on the night of 29 September, the submarine tracked a five-ship convoy; and, at 0122 on 30 September conducted a surface torpedo attack which damaged one ship. She then ran eastward to attain a position ahead of the convoy but was spotlighted by an escort which had shifted stations. Seadragon went deep; the escort dropped six depth charges and then rejoined the convoy. The submarine surfaced and attempted to make up for lost time. Three hours later, she had overheated her main motor cables and was forced to give up the chase.
On the evening of 3 October, Seadragon departed the South China Sea and, five days later, commenced patrolling the approaches to Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
. On 10 October, she attained a position for a stern tube shot on Shigure Maru. The cargoman disappeared 47 seconds after the first explosion. On 11 October, the submarine patrolled off Cape William and Cape Mandar. On 12 October, she was off Makassar City. On 14 October, she transited Lombok Strait; and, on 20 October, she returned to Fremantle.
Fifth patrol, November 1942 – January 1943
Refit was started by submarine tender at Fremantle and completed by tenders and at BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. On 23 November, she departed the latter and headed for the Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.-History:...
for her fifth war patrol. On 29 November, she entered her area and commenced patrolling the Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
-Shortland
Shortland
-Geography:* Shortland Island* Shortland Islands* Shortlands, a ward of the London Borough of Bromley* Shortland, New South Wales* Shortland's Bluff, an old name for Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia-People:...
routes. On 1 December, she closed the New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
coast to intercept traffic to the Japanese beachhead at Buna
Buna, Papua New Guinea
Buna is a village in Oro Province, Papua New Guinea. It was the site in part, of the Battle of Buna-Gona during World War II, when it constituted a variety of native huts and a handful of houses with a airstrip...
, and, during the next ten days, conducted several unsuccessful approaches on enemy formations. On the morning of 11 December, she sighted a freighter with one escort rounding Cape St. George
Cape St. George
Cape St. George is the southernmost point on the island of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, at . It was the namesake for the Battle of Cape St. George, fought on 26 November 1943, between New Ireland and Buka....
and launched two torpedoes at the merchantman. One hit under the main mast, damaging but not sinking the target. The escort delivered a depth charge attack then took the damaged vessel under tow for Rabaul. Enemy planes prohibited Seadragon from delivering the coup de grace.
On 21 December, Seadragon sighted an enemy submarine near Cape St. George, made her approach, and launched three torpedoes at the target. The first missed ahead. The second exploded about 18 seconds after firing. The third torpedo hit the target. sank with her bow vertical and with all hands lost. The second torpedo explosion, however, had damaged Seadragon. The force of the explosion had knocked down the personnel in the forward torpedo room, and the torpedo in No. 1 tube, the outer door of which was open, was forced against the tail buffer. The countermining effect forced the torpedo forward shearing off the guide stud and tripping the starting lever. The outer door could not be closed. Depth control was lost. The torpedo was fired. Control was regained as the torpedo exploded on Seadragons port quarter.
On 25 December, Seadragon damaged another cargoman, and, on 26 December, departed the area for Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
where she arrived on 7 January 1943.
From Pearl Harbor, Seadragon continued on to the West Coast, where skipper "Pete" Ferrall was detached to the Bureau of Ships
Bureau of Ships
The United States Navy's Bureau of Ships was established by Congress on June 20, 1940, by a law which consolidated the functions of the Bureau of Construction and Repair and the Bureau of Engineering. The new Bureau was to be headed by a Chief and Deputy-Chief, one selected from the engineering...
. Between 16 January and 8 April, she underwent overhaul at Mare Island
Mare Island
Mare Island is a peninsula in the United States alongside the city of Vallejo, California, about northeast of San Francisco. The Napa River forms its eastern side as it enters the Carquinez Strait juncture with the east side of San Pablo Bay. Mare Island is considered a peninsula because no full...
, receiving new batteries and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and changing the position of her three-inch mount from aft to a forward position. In mid-April, she sailed west again; and, on 9 May, she departed Pearl Harbor for her sixth war patrol.
Sixth patrol, May – June 1943
On 15 May, Seadragon (now under Royal L. Rutter, Class of '30) crossed the 180th meridianMeridian (geography)
A meridian is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface from the North Pole to the South Pole that connects all locations along it with a given longitude. The position of a point along the meridian is given by its latitude. Each meridian is perpendicular to all circles of latitude...
and moved toward Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
. On 19 May, she commenced patrolling in the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
. On 20 May, she surprised and was in turn surprised by sighting a surfaced submarine on a parallel course. The other submarine submerged immediately. On 22 May, she took up station off the Truk Islands and for the next 11 days patrolled the sea lanes to the major enemy anchorage enclosed by Dublon, Fefan
Fefan
Fefan is the third largest inhabited island of the Truk Lagoon in the Federated States of Micronesia. It has an area of 13.2 km² and a population of about 3,000 . The northern part of the island is hilly and peaks at 298 meters above sea level.-External links:*...
, and Uman
Uman, Micronesia
Uman is a municipality of Chuuk, in the Federated States of Micronesia....
islands. On 4 June, she departed Truk and moved eastward to reconnoiter Ponape
Pohnpei
Not to be confused with Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79.Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia , situated among the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group...
, thence proceeded into the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
to patrol the sealanes converging on Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
. There, the enemy's omnipresent surface and aerial escorts inhibited hunting, but, on 13 June, Seadragon was able to damage a freighter. Four days later, she cleared the area, and, on 21 June, she arrived at Midway Island, whence she returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs to her steering gear.
Seventh–ninth patrols, July 1943 – February 1944
From 18 July to 30 August, Seadragon conducted her seventh war patrol. Of the 44 days, 31 were spent on station near WakeWake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
and in the Marshall Islands where increased enemy air activity again hindered hunting and limited Seadragons score to five freighters damaged. In mid-August, she reconnoitered Wotje; and, at the end of the month, she returned to Pearl Harbor.
On her eighth war patrol, 24 September to 5 November, Seadragon again returned to the Marshall Islands and spent 31 days hunting in the sea lanes to Kwajalein. Again Japanese antisubmarine measures hindered hunting; and, of the five ship contacts made, only two could be developed and only one attack was made. On 13 October, she damaged an enemy transport.
Seadragons ninth war patrol, 14 December 1943 to 5 February 1944, took her back to the Caroline Islands where she hunted enemy shipping on the Truk-Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
route and damaged two, possibly three, cargomen.
Tenth patrol, April – May 1944
Refit brought the replacement of Seadragons three-inch deck gun with a four-inch, and, on 1 April, she cleared Pearl Harbor for the Japanese home islands for her tenth war patrol, with James H. Ashley, Jr. (Class of '34), at the helm. On 5 April, she crossed the International Date Line. On 15 April, she entered Japanese waters. On 16 April, she moved past O Shima, and, that night, commenced patrolling off the Bungo Strait and Kii ChannelKii Channel
The is a strait separating the Japanese Home Islands of Honshū and Shikoku. This channel connects the Inland Sea with the Pacific Ocean....
entrances to the Inland Sea. On the morning of 23 April, she sighted four freighters, escorted by three patrol boats, moving toward Shiono Misaki. She closed the convoy; fired on the third ship, the heaviest laden; then went deep and rigged for depth charging. The patrol boats moved toward Seadragon as Daiju Maru sank and, during the next two hours, delivered a 40 depth charge attack. Later that day, the submarine conducted an unsuccessful attack on a naval auxiliary; and, on 26 April, she moved out into the Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
-Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
shipping lanes where she damaged a freighter on 27 April.
On 28 April, she commenced patrolling the Nagoya-Saipan route. In May, she took station off the entrance to Sugura Wan and, on 3 May, shifted to the Tokyo-Guam-Saipan-Truk sea lanes. Two days later, she hunted enemy traffic at the entrance to Sagami Wan. On 13 May, she headed for Midway Island. On 17 May, she caught an armed trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
in a surface attack; set it afire with four-inch gun salvos, then closed the target to take off the uniformed enemy crew. The surviving crew members refused to surrender, and Seadragon continued eastward. On 21 May, she crossed the 180th meridian and stopped at Midway, then got underway for Pearl Harbor, arriving on 25 May.
Eleventh patrol, September – November 1944
Re-engined at Mare Island during the summer, Seadragon returned to Pearl Harbor on 7 September and departed on her 11th war patrol, a coordinated patrol ("wolfpack") with submarines and , on 23 September. She arrived at Saipan to top off on 3 October. On 4 October, Shark and Blackfish continued on to the wolfpack's assigned area in the northern China Sea. Seadragon, delayed by the need for repairs, did not depart until 5 October. On 9 October, she arrived off Batan IslandBatan Island
Batan island is the main island of the Batanes Province in the Philippines, part of the Batanes Islands group and the Luzon Volcanic Arc. It is home to the provincial capital Basco. The island is known chiefly for Mount Iraya....
, established contact with Shark and Blackfish, and took position in a scouting line in the pack's assigned area.
On the night of 21 October and the morning of 22 October, the group went after an enemy warship formation led by an aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
. At 06:15 on 24 October, Shark reported a contact, and Seadragon headed for the scene. At 07:30, the contact was sighted through the high periscope, but it proved too distant. At 09:20, Seadragon sighted three enemy merchantmen in a loose column with a torpedo boat destroyer and an airplane as escorts. At 10:55, she launched four torpedoes at the lead freighter.
The first torpedo broached and ran erratic, alerting the escort which started for Seadragon. Seadragon rigged for depth charging. Soon thereafter, two torpedo explosions were heard, and, at 11:01, the first of eight depth charges was dropped. At 11:54, Seadragon went to periscope depth. The escort was milling around picking up survivors four miles (6 km) astern. The remaining merchant ships were ahead of the submarine and making only two or three knots. As Seadragon prepared to fire again, the destroyer rejoined the formation. At 11:14, Seadragon fired four more torpedoes. Three hits were observed. The submarine's second target of the day sank in less than two minutes.
Seadragon went deep. Fifteen depth charges followed. At 13:10, the submarine returned to periscope depth. The deck of the sole remaining freighter was crowded. The freighter was smoking heavily and moving slowly. The escort circled the freighter. At 14:04, Seadragon fired. The first torpedo tore off the freighter's bow. The rest of the ship went under quickly. At 14:05, the first of 25 depth charges was dropped.
Postwar examination of Japanese records identified the sunken ships as the cargo ship, Eiko Maru, and the passenger-cargomen Taiten Maru and Kokuryu Maru.
At 18:58, Seadragon tried unsuccessfully to raise Shark. She had been sunk after attacking the contact of her 06:15 transmission.
On 26 October, Seadragon headed toward Luzon. On 27 October and 28 October, she searched for downed aviators; and, on 29 October, she was ordered to return to Midway.
Twelfth patrol, December 1944 – January 1945
Arriving at her destination on 8 November, she commenced refit; and, on 3 December, she headed west for her 12th war patrol. The patrol took her back into Japanese waters where she hunted enemy shipping and searched for downed aviators into January 1945. On 10 January, she moved into the Bonin Islands, where she continued those two roles. On 19 January, she set a southerly course; and, on 22 January, she arrived at Guam to complete her last war patrol.The next day, Seadragon continued on to Pearl Harbor, and, after refit, returned to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to provide training services to naval air units. In May, she was transferred back to the Atlantic Fleet and for the final months of the war, provided training services at Guantanamo Bay
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...
and Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In September, she moved north to New London, Connecticut
Naval Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...
, thence to Boston, Massachusetts
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
, where she was decommissioned on 15 November 1945. Less than four months later, on 8 February 1946, she was recommissioned to assist in the inactivation and preservation of submarines, including U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s, at Hingham, Massachusetts
Hingham, Massachusetts
Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...
. On 29 October 1946, she was again decommissioned and berthed as a unit of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet where she remained until stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 30 April 1948.